2025 Istanbul Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in May)

Istanbul straddles two continents, its pulse beating where Europe meets Asia along the Bosphorus. Once Constantinople, this city wore the crowns of three empires—Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman—leaving behind a tangle of domes, minarets, and markets that still hum with life. Wander Sultanahmet to feel it: the Blue Mosque’s tiles shimmer, Hagia Sophia whispers centuries, and Topkapi Palace guards old secrets. Then there’s the Grand Bazaar—a noisy, colorful maze where history trades hands. You’ll see why Istanbul’s story never sits still.